When it’s Too Hot to Cook- Blend up Some Refreshing Cold Soup

Turn off your oven and bring out the blender and make yourself a batch of cold soup – the perfect antidote for hellishly hot days.

cucumber and green grape gazpacho

It’s been like an inferno this month in Snohomish. Of course, an 80 degree day is considered really, really hot in the Pacific Northwest, almost entering the gates of Hell hot. Bless Nancy Leson’s heart. Earlier this month, Ms. Leson, of the Seattle Times, wrote about her favorite chilled soups which I had to try out. Cantaloupe Soup and Cucumber and Green Grape Gazpacho are easy to make, elegant and very refreshing – try them yourself.

Chilled Cantaloupe Soup

a recipe from Nancy Leson, The Seattle Times, 8/4/2013

Ingredients:

6 cups (about 1 large)cantaloupe, cut up

1 cupheavy cream

1 1/2 cupfresh squeezed orange juice

1/4 cuphoney (or less if the melon is really sweet)

dashcinnamon

dashgrand marnier (optional)

Cooking Directions:

In a blender, puree the cantaloupe.

Pour the pureed cantaloupe into a large bowl and whisk in cream, orange juice, honey and cinnamon. Grand Marnier is optional.

Snohomish, WA is where you’ll find me, architect mom,”drafting a life”;working from home as an architect, managing my family’s lives, forgetting to clean the house, building some crazy thing or another, sometimes cooking a great meal and always packing my kids horrible lunches.